A Question Of Honour
by Pixel and Stephanie Forever
Summary: One day, during class, things go terribly wrong for Mildred and, when explaining, Hardbroom calls her an outright liar. With the help of her close friends, some of the class and two former pupils, Mildred gets an Honour Hearing to present the truth, to show she is not the worst witch at the school and to clear her name once and for all. Rated M for language and some sex scenes.
1. Mildred Snaps

**Mildred Snaps**

"I don't know" said Mildred Hubble after thinking hard about it.

"As much as it sounds strange, Millie, I have to agree with Enid" said one of her friends, Jadu Wali. "All we have to do is get you fitted with a camera and then have it record during the day. When Cackle sees what really happens, she'll rip HB a new one"

"But wouldn't they notice a camera?" asked Maud Moonshine – another of the close circle of friends.

"You can get cameras the size of small buttons" Ruby Cherrytree said. "I can easily order one because HB and the rest of the staff would never suspect because I am into all sorts of gadgets"

"Better get more then one" said Enid Nightshade. "That way one of us can give another point of view – Hardbroom would never be able to deny it was never Ethel or Drusilla"

"Since when did you come up with plans that actually seem plausible?" asked Jadu.

"I can come up with plans that work when I want" Enid grinned.

"Should I talk to the others in the class?" asked Maud.

"Maybe Gloria and Pansy" said Enid after thinking hard. "They've always been trustworthy... Can you get a third camera?"

"Why?"

"We could mount it in the ceiling and point it at Ethel and Drusilla. If HB finds out about the ones we are wearing, then at least we'll have some back up"

"You having thoughts like this scares me" said Mildred. "I am just fed up of all of this bullying – you'd think they would stop after four years"

"Its not Ethel and Drusilla that will get into trouble alone" Maud said. "After all, she's belittled you in front of the class, the school, the staff and visitors – she should also get punished for being just like them two"

"So when can you get them cameras?" asked Enid.

"I can get the order forms posted in the morning, and they should get here in two or three days" Ruby said.

"Good. Look, we better get into bed or else HB will find us all up and give us all detention" Mildred said. She felt oddly satisfied that people were going to get punished as the result of the actions of her and her friends. Although Mildred was a peaceful person at heart, she had finally had enough after four years of being bullied at Cackle's Academy of Witchcraft. Her friends, after being asked for their help, had come up with what seemed like the ultimate plan. The only problem Mildred had was how to do it all without their Form Mistress finding out

# # # # #

Due to an accident that was not her fault at all, Mildred wasn't able to attend Potions class the following day. The girl had been sat in the library looking up some old and important witches when a small earthquake had shook the castle. Mildred had jumped to her feet and was just in time to get hit on the back of the head by a falling set of shelves. After spending a week on bed rest, Mildred rose and quickly got showered and changed for lessons. Rushing to the dining hall, she quickly ate a breakfast of some sort before getting her bag and going to Potions class – making sure her camera was attached, hidden and turned on. Things seemed to be going well until Mildred and Maud went to get some extra supplies from the store cupboard. They had just got back to their seat when the cauldron exploded and the contents went all over.

"MILDRED HUBBLE HOW CAN YOU EXPECT TO BE A WITCH WHEN YOU ACT LIKE THIS?" thundered Miss Hardbroom.

"But it wasn't me, Miss" Mildred said with worry. Although she knew for certain it was not her fault this time, she was in fear for her life with an angry Hardbroom.

"Mildred, if you ever expect to pass the exams to become a fully qualified witch, and I doubt you will ever get it into your thick skull so that you will, you have to learn to stop lying to people about your mistakes. You will serve detention with me this evening and for the next four weeks"

"I don't want to" Mildred said, taking a deep breath"

"You will do as you are told, girl" Hardbroom sneered.

"I will not, and I request that the Headmistress re-examine what happened" Mildred really wanted to crawl under a rock and hide as she faced down the most frightening person in her life.

"Lying to Miss Cackle will not help you at all, Mildred, but if you are set on this course then on your own head be it. As it would be unjust to punish you before the Headmistress has had a chance, you do not have to come to me this evening. I suggest that you clear away the mess and see what you can do to salvage the lesson" Hardbroom glared at Mildred for daring to defy her and, not just do that, but to use rules against her. She was sure her friends had put her up to it, but she knew it was unlikely to be proven. Mildred turned without speaking and flicked her fingers at the ruined potion – the miscoloured liquid vanishing in an instant.

"Done"

"Magic is not to be used for trivial purposes" Hardbroom said.

"If that is the case, how come you use it for things like opening doors, breaking locks, taking things that are not your or within the rights granted as Deputy Headmistress?" Maud asked. Hardbroom blinked as if realising the girl was stood behind her friend – she had a point. That was annoying to her...

"That is a discussion for another time. For now, try to make the potion again if you please. In the event that you do not complete the task before class is finished, I will hold off grading until you have chance to do so" and Mildred and Maud did not exchange words with anybody for the rest of the lessons.

#

"Did it work?" asked Jadu.

"I'm checking now" sighed Ruby. She rewound the cassette tape in the machine she had set up to record the video from the potion lab – the footage coming from the camera set up in the corner of the classroom. "Got it" she gave a cry of triumph.

"Well" said Enid impatiently, "Lets see it" and see it they did. It showed the class all filing in, sitting, getting their work started and the girls moving around the classroom getting supplies and things.

"Bingo" Jadu said. She pointed a finger at Ethel slipping something inside the brewing potion which caused it to bubble wildly, hiss loudly and then explode – shattering the iron container and sending shrapnel in all directions.

"Its lucky that nobody was hurt" said Maud.

"Did the microphones pick up the sound as well?"

"Yep... Picked up HB going ballistic and Mildred's scared but calm reply" Ruby said. "I'll see what I can do during playtime to get it a little clearer and work out what Ethel put in"

"No point asking her or Drusilla" said Mildred grumpily. "Those two are as thick as thieves"

"I don't think they have actually stolen anything" said Jadu.

"What about stealing the chances to be best student by sabotage of work?" replied Mildred. Her friends looked at each other with some bemusement as it was not often Mildred got this upset.

"Cackle will blow her nut the moment she sees and hears this. She'll expel Ethel for sure – maybe Drusilla as well!" said Enid.

"What about HB?" Mildred flounced onto her bed. "You think she will get expelled too?"

"At the very least she will be fined and suspended" Maud said. She would have said more but there was a knock on Mildred's door. Ruby opened it to reveal Miss Cackle standing there with a frown on her face.

"Ah, I didn't expect you all to be here" she sighed. "Mildred, Miss Hardbroom has already spoken to me about the incident. On reflection, she believes it to be a harmless prank by Ethel and has given her detention this evening"

"Detention?" Mildred stared at the older witch. "_Detention_? That cauldron could have killed me and Maud when it exploded – not to mention hurting everybody else" and Mildred's trademark pigtails started to bob up and down with excited magic. "I hate her, I hate Drusilla and I HATE Miss Hardbroom"

"Milly, calm down" most of the friends rushed to calm the girl down except for Enid. Although she had the reputation for being a prankster and a bit lazy in her work, she also knew a lot of the old rules still in place at the school.

"Miss Cackle?"

"Yes, Enid?" Cackle glanced at her as she watched Mildred talking angrily to herself.

"Miss Hardbroom has impeached Mildred's honour by lying to you, the Headmistress of this school, and by not giving her the chance to explain fully to herself or you her version of events about the potion lesson this morning. Miss Cackle, I would like to ask for an honour hearing to clear Mildred's name and reputation from this incident and others"

"I see" Cackle eyed the girl with new respect as her eyes shone with a brilliant fire. "What you ask has been done only once at this school since I took charge. I will have to consult the other members of staff and read the appropriate rules. Will one week be sufficient to get your evidence together?"

"Yes, Miss"

"Very well... Under the circumstances, I think it best that Mildred not attend Miss Hardbroom's lessons. Please tell her that she has my permission to go to the library and study there. She may do her potion work when the classroom is otherwise empty. I will tell Miss Hardbroom myself about both this and the hearing" and as she walked away, the elderly witch wondered how her deputy was going to take _this_ of all things. If she remembered correctly, the three most senior members of the teaching staff had to sit in judgement. However, the problem Cackle faced was that one of the senior members of staff was the one to be called on for the hearing. That would mean having Miss Drill serve on the panel, and that, she was sure, would cause tempers to flare even more.

Of course, that was _after_ the cheesecake...


	2. After the Snap

**After the Snap**

"Explain to me what this thing is all about" Miss Drill spoke.

"I sometimes forget how truly little you know" Cackle sighed as she sat in the staffroom. "Enid has asked, on Mildred's behalf, for an Honour Hearing into the accusation that Constance has made against her"

"Why Enid?"

"Because Enid and Mildred... They share a special bond"

"As do all that group of girls"

"Not like Enid and Mildred"

"Those two?"

"Oh come now, I thought it was perfectly clear" Miss Bat said from the corner of the room. "Those two have been sharing beds for the last year, or at least so I have been told"

"I thought there were rules against this sort of thing" Drill sipped her hot tea.

"Such talk I would think would come from Constance, Imogen, not you. Besides, I hear that in the normal world relationships between two persons of the same gender is quite common"

"I meant sharing beds"

"That applies only to boys and girls" Cackle said. "Although there is a rule forbidding underaged sexual activity, I have no evidence to suggest they are doing such"

"In a bed for a year and they _don't_?"

"We can not enter a room that has a privacy spell. Besides, even if I did have such proof, I wouldn't act on it"

"Ah" Drill returned the smiles of Cackle and Bat. "So, this hearing..."

"It is to be held in front of the entire school" Cackle sighed and tried to remember as much as possible. "The three most senior members of the staff sit in judgement and listen to the evidence of the one that called the hearing. If the hearing is found in their favour, then the person that wronged is punished by a term of detentions or other such punishments. However, should they fail to provide enough proof to clear their name, then that person must withdraw from the school and live their life as a normal and non magical person" and Drill frowned.

"That is a bit harsh isn't it?" she asked.

"Yes, but those are the laws we must follow" Cackle replied.

"Of course, we have a problem" said Bat.

"Another one?"

"Amelia said that the three senior members of staff have to sit in judgement, but Constance is one of those that has caused Mildred's upset" Bat said, munching on a pair of daffodils. "That means that you will have to serve on the board despite being a normal person"

"I'm sure the WG would love that" Drill rolled her eyes.

"They do not need to know. What happens in this school is an internal matter with regards as to discipline and how I choose to apply it" Cackle said firmly. "If I chose to follow the have no pupils left to teach"

"Why not replace them with something that works?"

"Oh, there's been talk of it for many years, Imogen, but nothing ever comes of it" Bat said. "And if it did, you know who would most certainly be at the top of the list to be in charge"

"Oh… So how long do we have to do this Honour Hearing?" asked Drill.

"If you are meaning the time it takes then the answer is as long as the aggrieved party needs" Hardbroom said as she appeared in the room.

"I was wondering when you would show up" Drill remarked.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" the deputy looked at Drill with some disdain.

"We've been waiting to hear your side of the story" said Bat.

"There is no '_side'_ to the story, Davina. Mildred Hubble is being vindictive and petty minded after I tried to punish her for her own clumsiness"

"Did you even try to find out what happened?"

"There was no need" Hardbroom poured herself a cup of tea and sat at the staffroom table. "She was asked to do a simple potion with Maud Moonshine, she messed up the potion and it exploded as one would expect. I am just pleased that nobody was injured when the cauldron exploded"

"What I think Davina means" said Cackle carefully, "Is that you did give Mildred the punishment without seeing what happened"

"I did not need to, Amelia"

"You do have a tendency to go off on poor Mildred and her friends" Drill said.

"Well if she paid attention instead of daydreaming and being more worried about that strange relationship with Enid Nightshade I think she would get a pass in her exams at least"

"What?" Drill's voice turned as cold as anyone had ever heard it be before.

"She's clearly daydreaming most of the time because of the unnatural relationship she is in" and she would have said more if not for Drill slapping Hardbroom so hard the sound was heard down the corridor.

"HOW DARE YOU!" she said. "Mildred Hubble is one of the nicest girls you could hope to meet. If you actually stopped to examine everything, you'd see the reason that she makes mistakes and has accidents is because she tries so hard to please you. And then there is the fact that Ethel Hallow bullies her so much and that you turn a blind eye to it until it is all over. If this was a non-witch school, Ethel and Drusilla would have been suspended or expelled for the amount of bullying and intimidation to the rest of the school – all because of her dearest daddy" Drill went to the door before glancing back. "Excuse me, Amelia, but I want to be ready for my next class" and left them room.

"Are you not going to do anything about that?" Hardbroom rubbed her stinging cheek. "She assaulted a senior member of staff"

"Oh be quiet Constance" said Cackle. "If things were different, I might have done the same. If Mildred heard what you called her relationship with Enid, she could sue you for sexual discrimination. Now, putting that aside, what on earth has gotten into you"

"Nothing male or what doesn't run on batteries, that's for sure" sniggered Bat. Cackle tried very hard to not smile at that comment from the normally insane teacher.

"Davina…" she warned. "Constance, I have been willing to overlook your attitudes and behaviour for the most part due to what happened with you and Broomhead. However, I find myself more and more having to come up with excuses which I am no longer willing to provide. I am sorry it has come to this, but I am placing you on a month's warning. If I get reports of victimisation from any member of staff or from the girls, I will be forced to look into your continued employment here at Cackle's Academy"

"But I am only trying to do what is in the best interests of the girls" Hardbroom defended herself.

"That may be so, Constance, but your methods need a little changing. That is not to say that you are doing the wrong thing, but we need to change from time to time so that we are the best at what we do" and Cackle sighed. "I want you to write a letter of apology to both Mildred and Enid from what you said about them. After that, just keep on doing what you do best – but for Circe's sake… Try not to be so snappy"

#

"Are you awake?" Enid said as she stuck her head around the door to Mildred's room.

"No" came a reply. "I died half an hour ago"

"That's unfortunate" Enid said as she stepped inside. "I'm sorry I stepped in like that, but I couldn't face how terribly beastly HB was to you. Mind you, I am your personal assistant who takes care of your every need"

"I don't think _that_ is on most job descriptions"

"Most likely not" Enid replied as she slipped into the bed and snuggled up to her beloved.

"Hardbroom hates me"

"Yes" said Enid carefully, "But I think that hate comes from her past. She was treated very badly as a child by Mistress Broomhead and, because of that, she now hates weakness in young witches like us. This hearing will show her the error of her ways, I hope, and perhaps she'll become a better person because of it"

"And if I have to leave?"

"Then I leave too… I will not spend another night away from you for as long as I live" Enid vowed, hugging her girlfriend tightly from behind and kissing her neck gently.

"Whatever did I do to get you in my life?" asked Mildred as she snuggled into the embrace.

"I think saving my life when we went on that trip to Rowen-Webb's place. I could see you shaking with fear when you faced the Dragon Lord, but you didn't back down from him and saved us… _Mildþryð_" Enid added with all of the love and warmth she had for her girlfriend. The pair stayed together until they drifted off into a deep sleep.

#

"Hmm" the old witch read the note she had been sent by an informant at Cackle's. "That girl is causing trouble for herself and others, is she…? No matter – I shall be there to _deal_ with the fallout. Nobody gets the better of me and lives to tell the tale. Nobody gets the better of Heckity Broomhead"


End file.
